Forming a misogyn-army, one post at the time
How “manosphere” creators are reinforcing patriarchy in young cis-boys
It seems like every man is running a podcast telling his audience about the plight of modern cis-men.
Young boys, the primary audience of these podcasts, are getting indoctrinated by the so-called “manosphere,” an internet ecosystem that preaches self-improvement next to extreme forms of misogyny.
Andrew Tate, a 37-year-old British-American retired kickboxer, is the face of this movement. Despite being arrested on Dec. 29, 2023, for human trafficking and rape, he continues to gain fans around the world. Tate’s content consists of short-form TikTok videos in which he explicitly uses deeply misogynistic rhetoric to farm engagement and discourse. His goal is to direct people to his online academy, Hustlers University.
A shirtless man smoking a cigar surrounded by multiple luxurious cars and women is an image that can be alluring to some, leaving young impressionable minds searching for the lifestyle Tate advertises. However, the attainment of this ideal conditions young boys’ brains into thinking that they must embody problematic behaviours; they must emulate Tate’s personality and beliefs to attain a life of luxury.
This highlights a failure of systemic patriarchy, socializing men into thinking Tate is someone to look up to. When a man experiences some form of rejection or hurt, instead of self-reflecting on his behaviour or asking for help, he is encouraged to blame women. This is the feeling that people like Tate wish to exploit through misogyny and other forms of bigotry.
Feminist author bell hooks describes in her book The Will to Change how patriarchy hardens boys into thinking that there is no alternative. She explains that boys who are brutalized by patriarchy end up embracing the same behaviour that originally hurt them.
Social media algorithms fuel this mindset, putting a spotlight on this exact type of content. If you interact with it once, you are offered a sea of misogynistic content and creators who preach it. This concerning trend in young boys is leading to worried educators sharing that this way of thinking is making marginalized students feel unsafe in the classroom. Boys become alienated from making diverse social connections, and this ideology radicalizes them into adopting deeply conservative attitudes. This incentivizes harassment of or assault against minorities.
Change starts with calling out your male friends when they say something out of pocket. We all seek validation from our peers, and being honest about the problematic behaviour of the men in your life is better than going along with it.
As it continues to grow in popularity, this movement will not disappear any time soon. But in every interaction where we accept this behaviour, we involuntarily perpetuate its existence.
You do not have to be fuelled with hatred and anger to be a man.
This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 6, published November 19, 2024.
